Event tickets bought from unauthorised websites cost on average 69pc more than those purchased from legitimate outlets.
That is according to new research from Group 4 Securicor (UK Security).
Tickets for entertainment events cost on average 112pc more if purchased from unauthorised websites, sporting events 73pc and concert tickets 63pc. The black market for tickets is estimated to be worth £54m annually in the UK, with more than 2.23m tickets changing hands.
The guard firm is warning consumers that tickets purchased from unauthorised sources may be fraudulent or not even exist. Research found that tickets were being offered for sale on online auction sites for events that had not even commenced selling tickets. As an event security company, Group 4 Securicor reports that it is working with event organisers to help prevent the illegal resale of tickets. Black market tickets can create major safety and security risks for those people legitimately attending public events. While online auction sites often promote themselves as offering bargains, Group 4 Securicor’s research shows that consumers often pay far higher prices than if tickets had been bought from legitimate outlets. A pair of U2 concert tickets purchased from an online auction site cost £872, a mark-up of 445pc over their face value. A pair of tickets to the first day of the Ashes at Lords sold for £450, an increase of 463pc over the face value.
What they say
Douglas Greenwell, Marketing Director of Group 4 Securicor (UK Security) said: "Ultimately it is in the consumers’ interest to purchase their tickets from authorised outlets; this ensures they are paying the correct price and that the tickets actually exist. Buying tickets from unauthorised websites can lead to an increase in fraud, criminal activity and increases the safety and security risks at events to themselves and other members of the public. Event organisers cannot afford to ignore the problems associated with the unauthorised resale of tickets for public events from online sources. The best event organisers are increasingly introducing effective security screens to help prevent the resale of tickets from unauthorised outlets. Measures include ensuring attendees at an event bring photo id and their payment details to the venue, which ensures they purchased the tickets legitimately."
